Carmilla

"One way or another, life and death are mysterious states, and we know little about the possibilities they hold."
"Carmilla" rightly stands as one of the greatest examples of Gothic literature. The Irish writer Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu had a far-reaching... influence on the genre: it is believed that it was "Carmilla" that inspired Bram Stoker to write "Dracula." 
The central character of the story is Laura, a girl living with her father in a castle in the forests of Austria. An accidental carriage accident brings the beautiful Carmilla to Laura's home. Soon, Laura's health suddenly deteriorates, and she begins to be plagued by nightmares. Meanwhile, Carmilla's behavior becomes increasingly suspicious, and one night she mysteriously disappears from the castle…